Explosive.



. pounds of organic, principa plaratively expensive,

Ururnn STATS P FIN SPARRE, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARETASSIGN OR TO THE E. I. DU PON T DE N EMOURS POWDER COMPANY PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A COR- EXPLOSIVE- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 16,1907.

Application filed February a. 1906. Serial No. 300,090.

provement in Explosives, of which the folowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to ammonium-nitrate metallic explosives.

In a patent issued to me February 20, 1906, N 0. 812,958, I have set forth an ammonium-nitrate metallic explosive containing ungelatinized nitrocellulose. This explosive possesses decided advantages over theordinary ammonium-nitrate metallic explosive in that it is fumeless, non-freezing, safe to manufacture and use, and is adapted for use in compressed form. It is, however, comowing to therelatively gh cost of t e nitrocellulose,"and compression is necessary to obtain proper load.

I have discovered that hi h-nitrated comdrocarbons, alcohols, phenols, or other substances belonging to the nitro compounds in which the nitrogen is not .comblned as in the nitric-acid group, but as in the wellknown nitro groupsuch, for example, as

trinitrotoluol may be employed in part as a substitute'for nitrocellulose. Such an explosive possesses all the advantages of the composition set forth in my said patentexceptthat it is not ada ted for use in compressedform. It has, owever, the advantage over the composition set forth in my said patent of being even safer to manufacture and use. grou named, notably trinitrotoluol, are muc cheaper than nitrocellulose. ing of such high-nitrated compounds I comprehend. trinitro compounds, such as trinitrotoluol and picric acid or compounds of higher nitration, but not mononitro com pounds or dinitro compounds. Of course the lower nitrated compounds may be present in the composition. It is advisable, but not necessary, to add kerosene, charcoal, or

other oxidizable substance. As the metallic 1y aromatic, hy-' Certain substances of the In speak- [in edient I prefer to use ferrosilicon or ot ier silicid of a metal or compound of a metal and a metalloid performing the same du,ty,. such as iron yrites. The well-known aluminium may a so be used, although its expense will ordinarily be prohibitive.

The following is an example of a composition embodying my invention: ferrosilicon, twelve er cent., trinitrotoluol, six percent;

nitroce ulose, six per cent., kerosene, two

per cent., ammonium nitrate, seventy-four per cent.

In place of trinitrotoluol a mixture of two or more trinitro compounds may be used.

The ingredients may be mixed together in any, well-known way. For example, they may ,be placed in a pulverizing-barrel or rolling-mill, such as is commonly employed in the manufacture of both black powder'and safety-powder, and allowed to remain therein for approximately three hours.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claiin, and desire to protect by Let ters Patent, is l 1. An ammonium-nitrate metallic explosive containing trinitrotoluol and ungelatin ized nitrocellulose substantially as described.

2. An ammonium-nitrate metallic explosive containing, of ammonium nitrate sixtyfive to eighty-fiveper cent., of a metallic ingredient five to twenty per cent., of tr'initrotoluol five to twenty per cent., and of ungel atinized nitrocellulose less than twelve per cent. substantially, as described.

' 3. An ammonium-nitrate metallic explosive containing a trinitro compound and ungelatinized nitroicellulose substantially as doscribcd. Y

4. An ammonium-nitrate metallic explosive containing, of ammonium nitrate sixtyfive to eighty-five per cent., of'a metallic ingredient five to twenty per cent. of atrinitro compound five to twenty per cent., and of ungelatinized nitrocellulose less than twelve per cent. substantially as described.

5. An ammonium-nitrate metallic eXplosive containing five to twenty per centof trinitrotoluol and less than twelve per cent. of

ungelatinized nitrbcellulose substantially as described. I r

6. An ammoniummitrate 'metallic explosive containing five to twenty per cent. of a 5 trinitro compound and less than twelve'per cent. of ungelatinized nitrocellulose substantially as described.

In testimony of which invention 1 have hereunto set my hand, at Wilmington, on this 1st day of February, 1906.

FIN SPARRE. Witnesses:

CHARLES G. GUYER, ALVIN B. ROBERSOX. 

